YOUTH FOOTBALL: ORGANISERS of the county's biggest six-a-side football tournament expect to sell more than 3,500 beefburgers this weekend when a record 340 junior teams flock to Corsham's Leafy Lane Playing Fields.

The Corsham Boys tournament includes U12 and U14 girls' competitions for the first time this year and numbers have been bolstered by a huge response from teams in the U14 and U15 boys' categories.

Youth football clubs from as far afield as Birmingham and Sussex will take part following a successful marketing campaign from organisers.

Age groups range from U7s to U15s, with odd numbered age groups competing on Saturday. Teams in the even numbered categories will contest the prizes on Sunday.

Peter Fellows, one of the men tasked with organising the annual spectacular, is delighted with the response from clubs this year.

He said: "We had 285 teams last year, so it is a lot bigger. It will be the first time we have had girls competing and there are a lot more in the older age groups.

"There are 42 teams in the U14s and 30 in the U15s, so we are quite top-heavy.

"We have some coming from the Birmingham area, as well as Sussex and South Wales.

There will be a big turnout from the Avon and Gloucester leagues as well.

"We also have our usual contingent from the Mid-Wilts League and have had to turn people away from some of the categories."

Fellows and his team of volunteers are preparing for a hectic weekend. They will present 144 winners and runner up trophies, together with 500 medals to participants in the U7s and U8s categories.

Said Fellows: "We are just keeping our fingers crossed for the weather. We've been running it for 12 years and know what needs to be done. This year is just that bit bigger.

"We are really lucky with the facilities at Leafy Lane and try and do a professional job. All of the referees will be qualified and we have medical officers from the MoD in attendance this year."